Predators Win 9th Straight at Home, Defeat the Leafs 4-3

The Nashville Predators have won 8 straight games and have been practically unbeatable on home ice.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost 9 straight games and have struggled mightily, winning just 3 games in their last 21 contests.

Yet the Leafs gave the Predators all they could handle at Bridgestone Arena before dropping a 4-3 decision to the Predators.

The Predators jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead off a beautiful shorthanded goal by Seth Jones, who stole a pass at the Predators blue line and roofed a shot under the crossbar, and a power play blast by Shea Weber that blew past Jonathan Bernier.

After a stellar first period, the Predators intensity level dropped in the second period, and the Leafs cut the lead to 2-1 as Daniel Winnik beat Carter Hutton with an unscreened shot from the high slot.

Bernier was cut by a skate late in the second period and James Reimer entered the game with the Predators going on the power play. The Predators couldn't take advantage of Reimer with the power play to finish the period and the carry over time in the third.

That seemed to energize the Leafs as they scored two quick goals. Nazem Kadri scored on a wrist shot and 37 seconds later Mike Santorelli cleanly beat Hutton from the face off circle to give the Leafs a 3-2 lead.

Bernier reentered the game and was victimized by Mike Fisher, who took a pass from Colin Wilson and lifted a puck over the shoulder of Bernier from in close.

Colin Wilson got the game winner off a rebound of a James Neal shot. Fisher was in front screening Bernier, who couldn't control the puck and it squirted out to side of Bernier's left pad. Wilson drove the net and slammed the puck home before Bernier could get his glove on the puck.

Some observations:

• Carter Hutton... man, you made some great saves, and your save in the third period off a puck that was deflected several times was absolutely ridiculous. Hutton was off balance, reached around behind him and swatted away a puck the was about to cross the goal line. That said, you are frustratingly inconsistent. Too often, Hutton gets beat on unscreened shots that just get blown past him. If he could get this aspect of his game together, I would certainly have more confidence in his game. As it is, that inconsistency has plagued him in nearly every game he has played this season, and that has to improve.
• You cannot overstate the value of Mike Fisher to this team. Fisher had a goal and 2 assists and battled in front of the net and in the corners all night. The game winning goal was a direct result of Fisher screening Bernier and battling for the puck. His goal was the result of some sweet hands as he was able to elevate the puck from in close. Frankly, I never expected to see Fisher contributing at this level after missing a month at the start of the season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. I am glad I have been proven wrong.
• Colin Wilson had a goal and an assist tonight. His goal was his 16th of the year and tied a career high. His 35 points also ties a career high. Wilson has consistently elevated his game this season and is a big part of the Predators success.
• Seth Jones not only showed some great hands to score a shorthanded goal for the Predators but also showed some very good speed as he went from a dead stop at the Predators blue line to full speed for the break away.
• Jones shorthanded goal was the Predators third shorty this season. It was Jones first career SHG.
• This is the first time in the history of the Predators that a defenseman has scored a shorthanded goal (Jones) and a power play goal (Weber) in the same game.
• The Predators set a franchise record with 9 consecutive home wins.
• While the Predators got a first period power play goal, the Predators last power play in the third period was an absolute clustertruck. Poor puck decisions and puck handling led to several shots by the Leafs that were good scoring chances and resulted in Hutton having to make an incredible save to keep the Leafs off the board. Sometimes it appears that the Preds power play tries to get too cute rather than keep it simple and gain the zone.
• I really like the play of Mike Ribeiro, but please, Ribs, shoot the puck when you have an open lane. Ribeiro passed up a shot on several occasions while looking for a pass and it resulted in turnovers. 
• Former Predators assistant head Coach Peter Horachek has the unenviable job of being the interim head Coach of the Leafs. While the Leafs have struggled, Horachek has instilled greater defensive responsibility among his charges and they made it a difficult night for the Predators.
• Paul Gaustad won 73% of his faceoffs; Mike Ribero won 71%, his best night as a Predator.
• Bernier missed the last minute of the second period and the first five minutes of the third as he cut his left leg with his skate while making a sprawling save on a Matt Cullen breakaway. Bernier required 12 stitches to sew up the cut. He gave up all 4 goals to the Predators.
• The Leafs loss was a franchise record 10th consecutive loss.
• The Predators are 11-5-1 against the Eastern Conference.

This was a win, but the Predators made it way more difficult than it should have been with some stretches of uninspired play.

But here is the bottom line- it was a win.

And it was an important win to keep them on top of the Central Division. They currently sit in first with 72 points, 2 ahead of St. Louis and 8 ahead of Chicago.

They will be tested on home ice on Thursday against Anaheim.

My three stars:

1. Colin Wilson

2. Mike Fisher

3. Mike Santorelli

Predators Win Their Third Straight, Blow Past Leafs 4-2

The Nashville Predators traveled to the Air Canada Center to face the Toronto Maple Leafs attempting to extend their winning streak to 3 games.

The Leafs are a talented team, which is challenge enough, but the Predators would face a real nemesis is Leafs netminder Jonathan Bernier, who has a 8-1 lifetime record against them.

Marek Mazanec, who had won his last two outings against Chicago and Detroit, was in net for the Predators.

The game opened with the Leafs skating hard and attacking the net. Their jump paid off at 5:48 of the first period as Peter Holland scored from the left face off circle on a sharp angle shot to give the Leafs a 1-0 lead.

Mazanec was called upon to make some quality saves to keep the Leafs off the board as they were shooting the puck and driving the net consistently in the period.

The Predators responded with some offensive flurries of their own but were unable to get a puck past Bernier.

The Leafs out shot the Predators 11-9 in the first period.


The Predators got a 4 minute power play early in the second period as David Legwand was cut with a
high stick by Mason Raymond. The Predators made the Leafs pay for this transgression as Seth Jones shot a puck from the blue line that knuckle balled and eluded Bernier to tie the game at 1 at 2:01.

The Predators took a 2-1 lead as Matt Cullen drove the slot and fanned on his attempt. he stayed with the puck and fired a shot that beat Bernier five hole at 11:14 of the second period. By fanning on his first attempt, Cullen got Bernier to open up the five hole for the score.

Nice to see the Predators get a little puck luck.

Craig Smith made it 3-1 on the power play. With James van Riemsdyk in the box for boarding, Smith dug the puck out of the corner in the offensive zone and then drove the front of the net. Colin Wilson slid the puck to Smith at the top of the crease, and Smith, showing great hands, was able to control the puck and slid it through Bernier's pads at 16:25.

In the second period, the Predators executed their breakouts very well, skated hard, and got shots on net with traffic. That effort yielded three goals, and this was the kind of hockey that the Predators have been playing to get back on a winning track.

They were going to have to continue that effort in the third period.

Shots were 13-7 in favor of the Predators in the second period.

The Predators made it 4-1 as Craig Smith tallied his second goal of the night. Matt Cullen battled for the puck and slipped it back to Smith just outside the icing line. Smith threw a rising shot from a bad angle at Bernier that caught his shoulder and went over his back into the net at 4:32 of the third period. This was Cullen's third assist of the night to go along with his goal. For Smith, it was his first multi-goal game of the season and he now has 6 goals.

The Predators were playing Predator hockey in the third period. They were winning puck battles, beating the Leafs to loose pucks, and their aggressive forecheck was forcing turnovers in the Leafs zone. The Predators were taking the attack to the Leafs and keeping them off balance and limiting their potent offense.

The Leafs got a gift from the Predators as a shot by Nazem Kadri was going wide of the net but hit Victor Bartley and deflected past Mazanec to make it 4-2 at 15:28.

The Leafs pulled Bernier with 2:30 to go for the extra attacker, and the final minutes were frantic. The Predators missed the open net twice, and the Leafs were in full attack mode trying to cut the deficit to one.

The Predators were able to withstand the pressure from the Leafs and captured their third win in a row with a solid 60 minute game.

Some observations:

• Craig Smith has great offensive skills, but his first goal was created by going to the hard area in front of the net. Smith has shown a willingness to battle for the puck and go to tough areas, and if he can begin to score consistently, this will boost his confidence and certainly benefit the Predators.

• Matt Cullen has been playing some solid hockey. His chemistry with Smith is exceptional, and he is smart with the puck. he has great vision and distributes the puck well, and Smith has shown the ability- albeit somewhat inconsistently- to finish.

• The Predators responded to the first period deficit very well. They battled and competed very well in the second and third periods and won most of the puck battles. This response is heartening, and the team needs to consistently play this way.

• Mazanec gave up a bad goal on the Leafs first goal, but he made some good saves during the course of the game. He has looked more confident with each start and his fundamentals look good.

• Viktor Stalberg didn't get on the scoresheet, but he had a solid game. His backchecking was exceptional, thwarting some rushes by the Leafs, and he showed his speed by blowing past the Leafs defense to set up two quality scoring chances. If he can begin to consistently find the back of the net, he can be the explosive offensive player the Predators need.

• The Predators saw two familiar faces wearing leafs sweaters. Cody Franson was a Predators draft choice as a defenseman that played 20:37 tonight for the Leafs. Jerred Smithson is a recent acquisition for the Leafs that played 9:14. Smithson played over 400 games for the Predators.

• Hopefully this outing for the Predators will dispel the aura of invincibility that Bernier has held over the team. The Predators peppered Bernier with 28 shots and forced him to work for a lot of his saves, something they have failed to do when they have faced him previously.

The Predators three game winning streak has been characterized by simple, Predator hockey. Forecheck hard and create turnovers; shoot the puck- a lot; and get traffic to the net. This simple formula often leads to a win for the Predators, and if they can apply it consistently and bring the solid 60 minute effort they have in these recent games, they will start to pile up wins.

My three stars:

1. Matt Cullen

2. Craig Smith

3. Marek Mazanec

Bernier Continues His Mastery Over the Predators, Leads Leafs to 4-0 Win

The Nashville Predators are glad they don't have to face Jonathan Bernier often.

Bernier continued his mastery over the Predators, this time in net for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-0 victory over the Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Bernier's career record against the Predators is now 8-1.

After a scoreless first period that saw the Predators out shoot the Leafs 8-6, the Predators tilted the ice in the second period and out shot the Leafs 17-9. Bernier was stellar, stopping every attempt by the Predators.

While the Leafs only had 9 shots, they capitalized on 2 of them. James van Riemsdyk gathered in a puck behind the goal line and fired a pass to Phil Kessel, who was alone in the low slot. Kessel rifled a shot over the shoulder of Pekka Rinne to make it 1-0 at 13:41 of the second period. On the play, Filip Forsberg lost coverage of Kessel, giving him an easy shot on net.

The Leafs struck again with just 9 seconds to go in the second period. Kessel shot a puck in on Rinne that hit him in the shoulder and fell to the side of the net. Rinne went down to cover the puck, but before he could get his glove on it, van Riemsdyk swooped in and picked up the puck. He went behind the net and buried the wrap around before Rinne could recover.

The Predators pressed the attack again in the third period, but were unable to solve Bernier. Their efforts to get back into the game were thwarted when Mike Fisher was called for boarding Cody Franson into the curved glass by the Leafs bench. Franson was bloodied and left the game and Fisher was given a 5 minute major and a game misconduct. On the ensuing power play, Tyler Bozak and Joffrey Lupul scored to make it 4-0 and secure the victory for the Leafs.

Some observations:

• Although the Predators out shot the Leafs 36-26, many of their shots were from the perimeter and with no traffic in front of Bernier. The Predators have success when they create havoc in front of the net. Tonight, they rarely did that. Lacking pure goal scorers, the Predators have to commit to going to the hard areas to score. Right now, that commitment is lacking.

• The power play, which had success against Minnesota, looked stale. There was not much movement by players away from the puck to create lanes or mismatches. The Predators have to improve in this area and certainly have to be more consistent and productive.

• Young players are going to make mistakes. Witness the error by Forsberg that led to the first Leafs goal. Yet I am impressed by the play of Forsberg. He is calm with the puck, surprisingly strong, and offensively creative. His game will continue to grow and improve.

• Mattias Ekholm has been quietly efficient. he did have a turnover at the blue line that led to a 2 on 1, on which Rinne made a great save to bail him out. but his confidence seems to be growing every game and I believe he will develop into a solid blueliner.

• Still not sold, though, on Ryan Ellis as a full time NHL defenseman.

• I like Matt Cullen's game, but the Predators need him to get his offense going.

• Not sure that Matt Hendricks is best suited for an agitator roll. He got the sort end of it in a scrap with David Broll tonight.

• Rinne made some great saves, but he has to have some offensive support. Right now, he has to be perfect for the Predators to win a game. he hasn't been, and the Predators aren't winning.

The Predators record is now 1-3.

The compete level of this team is good, but they are not finishing. Without elite goal scorers, the Predators have to get to the net and create traffic and trouble for opposing goaltenders. The Predators have not done that consistently, and their record reflects that shortcoming.

It's time to make that commitment, boys.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Bernier

2. Phil Kessel

3. James van Riemsdyk

Kings Pummel the Pitiful Predators

The Nashville Predators were looking to salvage their three game West coast swing with a win against the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center. The Predators had dropped their first two games of this important road trip and had looked awful in the process.

The task before the Predators was simple: get the puck on net and get find their scoring touch. As simple as that sounded, it was a monumental challenge for this offensively impaired squad.

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators, while the Kings had Jonathan Bernier between the pipes.

The first period was scoreless, with the Predators outshooting the Kings 5-3. The Predators defensive effort was solid as they did not allow a shot on net by the Kings until there was 4:30 remaining in the period. Offensively, the Predators created a few chances but did not generate a consistent offensive push.

The Kings opened the scoring on the power play at 5:28 of the second period as Jeff Carter shoveled a puck toward the net that hit Rinne's pad and skittered through the five hole for a 1-0 lead. The man advantage was set up because of a high sticking penalty on Craig Smith.

That was the only tally of the second period. The Predators out shot the Kings 8-3 for a two period total of 13-6, but had shown no ability to solve Bernier. The Predators would have 50 seconds of carryover power play time to begin the third period.

Jeff Carter got his second goal of the night as the Kings broke in 2 on 2 against the Predators. David Legwand was late in covering Jeff Carter, who got loose in the low slot and beat Rinne, who had no chance on the shot at 4:39 of the third period.

Just 19 seconds later, Carter stole the puck from Roman Josi and broke in alone and beat Rinne to make it 3-0.

The way the Predators offense had sputtered, the Kings lead was probably safe at 1-0. With a 3-0 advantage, the lead would be insurmountable.

The Kings made it 4-0 on the power play as Mike Richards blasted a one timer from the face off circle past Rinne at 7:40.

In a game the Predators desperately needed, they folded their tent, pissed on the fire, and called the dogs home in the third period.

Absolutely awful play by the Predators.

The Kings made it 5-0 at 10:54 as Dwight King beat Gabriel Bourque down the slot and ripped a shot past Rinne.

That was all for Rinne, as he had been hung out to dry by his teammates. Chris Mason entered the game to face the onslaught of the Kings.

Gabriel Bouque ruined Bernier's shutout as he whipped a shot from the slot that went just under the crossbar to make it 5-1 at 13:05.

Fortunately for the Predators, the Kings did not embarrass them further and, mercifully, the clock ran out on this debacle.

Some observations:

• In general, this team has of late shown no fire and no push back. This is very disturbing. If this team has lost heart and fails to play with character and the grit they have typically shown, this season will get awfully ugly. This team lacks the talent to win on talent alone. They win with heart. Without that, this team is going to get pummeled.

• It is a sadly repetitive refrain, but once again, the usual suspects were invisible offensively. Legwand, Colin Wilson, and Sergei Kostitsyn had zero shots. Mike Fisher had 1. This is totally unacceptable. When the coaching staff is preaching- no, pleading, for the guys to shoot the puck and your "leaders" and top line players are not doing that, there is a serious problem. It is time for Trotz to begin to take away ice time if these guys are just going to float.

• I make no secret of my disdain for David Legwand. He is an offensive liability. Tonight, he was a defensive liability, especially at a critical point in the game. For what he is getting paid, I expect more from him. Lots more.

• Pekka Rinne has to be frustrated. He knows that if the other team scores, the Predators are in trouble. He is having to be perfect every night for the Predators to have a chance. The first goal tonight was on him, as he just misplayed the puck. The next four he was hung out to dry by the players in front of him. Pekka is a great goalie, but no goalie can be perfect in every outing, and his is getting no help from the team in front of him.

• The truth is that the Predators are not a playoff team. Hell, they are not a very good team as they are constructed. It is past time for General Manager David Poile to look at this roster and tear it apart and rebuild the team.

The Predators have slipped out of the playoff race. The question is will they have the character and the desire to get back into it?

Or, how far will they fall?

My three stars:

1. Jeff Carter

2. Jonathan Bernier

3. Gabriel Bourque

Kings Club the Predators 4-2

The Nashville Predators continued their last west coast swing of the regular season with a tilt against the L.A. Kings. Once again, the Predators faced a team in the Kings that was fighting for their playoff life, as the Kings had 80 points, currently in 10th place but one point out of the 8th playoff position.

For the Predators, this meant that they had to bring the intensity and effort from the opening puck drop. You knew that the Kings were going to bringing it tonight. The Predators had to match the desperation of the Kings.

Pekka Rinne started in net for the Predators, while the Kings went with Jonathan Bernier.

Just as sure as the sun comes up in the east, the Kings opened with jump and pressure on the Predators. The Predators, as has been their tendency, took the Kings best early shots and just survived, with Rinne having to make some good early saves.

The Predators finally wilted under the pressure of the Kings, as they won a puck battle on the boards and controlled the puck to Anze Kopitar. Kopitar took one stride off the boards and lasered a shot over the shoulder of Rinne to give the Kings a 1-0 lead at 7;53 of the first period.

The Predators looked listless throughout most of the first period as they lost puck battles and for the most could not get through the neutral zone to establish their offense. The shot totals at the end of the first period reflected that fact as the Kings out shot the Predators 10-5.

If the Predators were going to have an opportunity to get back in this game, they were going to have to play with more jump and intensity. If you can answer the question as to why the Predators cannot seem to realize they have to match the intensity of their opponent, I would love to hear from you.

I would imagine that what Head Coach Barry Trotz said to his charges at the first intermission would cause a sailor to blush, because the Predators came out in the second period like they wanted to play a hockey game. The Predators skated better and won puck battles. They poured shots on Bernier, and in the first 7:30 of the second had out shot the Kings 8-1.

Now they just had to get a puck in the net.

The Predators did just that on their third power play attempt as Marty Erat cranked a shot from 10 feet inside the blue line that went between the legs of Patric Hornqvist who was screening and past Bernier to tie the game at 1 at 13:43.

The second period ended tied at 1 and the Predators out shooting the Kings 9-8 but generating the majority of the quality scoring chances.

So the Kings played the first 20 minutes of the contest and the Predators played the second 20 minutes. The contest would be decided by who wanted it more in the final 20 minutes.

The Predators offense reverted to their first period form as they did not get their first shot on net until the 8 minute mark of the third. On the plus side, the Kings only had 2 shots on net in the same time frame as the game had settled into a defensive struggle with each team looking to capitalize on a mistake made by the other.

That mistake occurred at 8:04 of the third as the Predators could not hold the puck in the zone as the puck got away from Ryan Suter at the blue line and the result was a 2 on 1. Dustin Penner finished the play off a nice pass from Trevor Lewis to give the Kings a 2-1 lead.

A horrific turnover by Jordin Tootoo at the Predators blue line sent Dwight King in on a breakaway and he buried the sot to give the Kings a 3-1 lead at 13:02. On the play, the Predators were also caught in a bad change and were victimized by two egregious errors.

The Predators implosion was complete when Kyle Clifford scored on a break away to make it 4-1 L.A. at 16:19.

Mike Fisher made the score somewhat respectable with a backhand score off a rebound of a Kevin Klein shot at 17:18 of the third to make it 4-2, which was the final score of the game.

For the Predators, there are two glaring problems right now. The first: their secondary scoring has gone ice cold. Throughout much of the season, the Predators have relied on balanced scoring from all lines. Right now, the scoring is coming predominantly from the top line. The remainder of the forwards are being shut down by opposing teams, and it is going to be essential that the Predators get these lines going again.

The second problem is that the Predators seem to have lost their edge, their intensity. This team is successful when they are playing gritty, blue collar hockey, hockey that is balls to the wall. Right now, the Predators are taking 20 minutes to get started, or are taking a period off. This team is not good enough to survive much less win playing that type of hockey. This has to change immediately.

The remainder of the schedule will be against teams that are desperate and will be more than happy to knock off the Predators. Right now, this team is the hunted, and it is important for them to play with the intensity and desperation of those teams that are hunting them.

The opportunity for redemption begins tomorrow night in Anaheim.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Bernier

2. Patric Hornqvist

3. Dustin Penner

Predators Fall to the Kings 4-3

The Nashville Predators continued their west coast swing with a visit to Los Angels to take on the Kings at the Staples Center. The Predators gave workhorse Pekka Rinne the night off and Anders Lindback got his first start in net since March 20th of last season.

The Kings went with their back up netminder Jonathan Bernier.

The Kings opened with an interference penalty just 25 seconds into the contest. The Predators did not get a shot on net during their power play, and just as the penalty expired, Patric Hornqvist was called for interference. With 10 seconds remaining in that penalty, Jerred Smithson was called for tripping. The Predators killed off Hornqvist penalty but 5 seconds later gave up a power play goal as defenseman Alec Martinez got open on the weak side and took a nice cross ice pass from Justin Williams and buried the shot past an out of position Lindback to give the Kings a 1-0 lead.

Drew Doughty gave the Kings a 2-0 lead at 13:47 of the period as he unleashed a blast from just inside the blue line that beat Lindback over his shoulder and just under the crossbar. The Kings have struggled to score goals this season, and unfortunately for the Predators, they looked as if they had broken out of this slump early on in the contest.

It was a deficit that the Predators did not need to face and certainly not the start they wanted. It was now going to be another test of character for the Predators to claw their way back into this game.

Matt Halischuk cut the deficit to one with a 4 on 4 goal at 10:41 of the first. This goal was the result of nothing but hard work and hustle, as Haslichuk dumped the puck in the zone, retrieved it, got it out front and got a rebound of a Shea Weber shot and wristed the puck past Bernier. A Predator hockey goal and a nice answer to the push the Kings had put on early in the period.

Character showed itself at 16:02 of the period as Craig Smith blasted a rocket from the face off circle past Bernier while the Predators were on the power play. This was Smith's fifth goal of the season, and the thing about Smith is that he is not afraid to shoot  the puck, and it is paying off in good scoring chances and in goals.

The Predators were guilty of some horrific turnovers in their zone- one by Teemu Laakso and one by Jordin Tootoo- that could have resulted in Kings goals, but Lindback made some big saves to keep the Kings off the board. The period ended with the score knotted at 2, but certainly the Kings had some glorious chances to take the lead late in the period.

The Predators troubling trend of getting badly outshot reared its ugly head in the first period, as the Kings outshot the Predators 16-8.

More ominously, the Predators lost David Legwand early in the period to an upper body injury.

The action in the second period was back and forth with both goaltenders making some good saves, but the Kings finally cracked the scoreboard at 9:28 on a 3 on 2 break out. Mike Richards took a nice cross ice pass from Dustin Brown and beat Lindback with a shot inside the post.

The Kings extended their lead to 2 on the power play with Jordin Tootoo in the box for hooking as Simon Gagne took a shot from the face off circle that was deflected by Predators defenseman Jonathan Blum and past Lindback to make it 4-2.

The second period ended with the Predators a man down as Patric Hornqvist took his third penalty of the night, one of five the Predators incurred through the first two periods. The Predators were also down 4-2 on the scoreboard. While the first period demonstrated the character and grit of this team, the second period was the complete opposite. The Predators gave the Kings numerous quality scoring chances and didn't generate much of anything in the way of offensive push.

The second period was in a word, disappointing. The lack of discipline and response by the Predators was frustrating to say the least.

With one period left, it remained to be seen how the Predators would respond. Would it be a San Jose effort, or we we see another Edmonton implosion?

For most of the period, we saw very little. The Predators failed to generate quality scoring chances and challenge the Kings in their zone. Yes, we shot the puck, but it was a fairly easy period for Bernier.

But at 18:48, with the extra attacker on, Ryan Suter threw the puck at the net and Patric Hornqvist deflected the puck past Bernier to make it 4-3. Nice to see Hornqvist atone for some of the penalties he took earlier. This was the 6th straight game in which Hornqvist has recorded a goal.

The Predators had a good flurry in the final minute, but it was too little too late as a horrifically sloppy second period and a mostly flaccid third period effort doomed the Predators as they fell 4-3.

This team cannot take a period off, and must play Predator hockey for 60 minutes if they are going to have an opportunity to win games. Tonight, they did not play a full 60 minutes and it cost them.

Hopefully, this team does not have to keep learning this lesson.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Bernier

2. Dustin Penner

3. Craig Smith

Kings Choke the Life Out of the Predators 4-2

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Nashville Predators 4-2 at the Bridgestone Arena. With the loss, the Predators failed to move into a playoff spot. This is not the way the Predators needed to start perhaps the most important week of the season for this team.

Some thoughts from tonight's game...

I thought the first goal and the third goal for the Kings were soft. Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne opened the five hole and Anze Kopitar took advantage for the Kings first tally on only their second shot of the game. This is a goal that Rinne cannot give up. On the third goal, Rinne left the short side post and Wayne Simmonds took advantage. Both goals were atypical for Rinne and created a hole out of which the Predators could not climb.

The Kings second goal by Alec Martinez was a classic case of a defenseman on a 2 on 1 getting caught in no man's land. Jonathan Blum did not take the shooter or close off the passing lane. Martinez took a nice pass from Dustin Brown and buried the shot to give the Kings a 2-1 lead. Blum has to commit to stopping that pass, and he was betwixt and between and did not. Rinne had no chance on the shot from Martinez.

Although the Predators outshot the Kings 32-18, many of the shots were from the perimeter and Kings netminder Jonathan Bernier had a lot of clear looks at the puck. Bernier is a good goalie, but the Predators make him look very good.

The Predators puck support in the offensive zone was awful. Most of the night, the puck carrier was outnumbered and had no one supporting. This oftentimes thwarted any offensive effort by the Predators.

The Kings size absolutely ground up the Predators. I spoke with Head Coach Barry Trotz earlier this season, and the smallish size of the Predators forwards was a concerned for him. Tonight, we saw what happens when a team with size and skill takes on the Predators. The Kings controlled the puck for stretches at ta time in the offensive zone and the choked off the Predators in the neutral zone and trying to enter the offensive zone. The Predators did not match up well against the size of the Kings and could not generate any offensive flow throughout the night.

This is the most important week of the Predators season. They MUST get points in their next three contests or they will find themselves in an unenviable position of being too far back to climb back into the playoff race. This means that the young players on the roster are going to have to grow up fast. Unfortunately for the Predators, they have some passengers right now. Colin Wilson, Sergei Kostitsyn, and Mike Fisher are going to have to start producing. Wilson has been invisible, as has Fisher. Kostitsyn has gone cold. These guys are going to have to produce if this team is going to make the playoffs.

Good to see J.P. Dumont back in the lineup and get a goal tonight. The negative aspect is that Joel Ward was scratched after the pre-skate with an undisclosed lower body injury. We will need Wardo back quickly.

The best forwards on the ice were Marty Erat and Patric Hornqvist. Hornqvist brings it every night, and his compete level is tops on the team. We need more players competing like Hornqvist.

This is a big test for the leadership of Shea Weber. A great leader will take the team and light them up and get them motivated to compete. This is especially important for a team that has a roster full of young players. Shea has to embrace his leadership role and bring this team up to another level for them to be successful.

This team has to regroup and get ready to bring it Thursday night against the Bruins. It goes without saying that the points are critical. This team has to play with desperation and intensity on every shift. Fail to do so and you can make a mid-April tee time. This is the time for everyone on the team to lay it all on the line. This is the playoffs for the Predators.

It's time to find out what you are made of; it's time to find out how badly you want it.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Bernier

2. Anze Kopitar

3. Jonathan Blum

LA Lashed by the Predators 5-2

In their two previous contests, the L.A. Kings have owned the Nashville Predators, winning the first two contests of the season by a combined score of 10-2 in games where the Predators never mustered much in the way of offense. Tonight, at the Staples Center,the Predators turned the tables on the Kings with a decisive 5-2 victory.

The first period opened with both teams showing some good jump and generating some quality scoring chances. Anders Lindback and Jonathan Bernier were both challenged and both were equal to the task.

L.A. opened the contest trying to take the body and exert their physical will. Unlike the two previous tilts, the Predators answered the physical challenge and did a good job of skating hard and establishing a good forecheck. That effort resulted in some good scoring chances, but the Predators were unable to solve Bernier.

Anders Lindback fended off some good scoring chances by the Kings, holding off all 12 of the Kings shots. Bernier stopped all 11 shots he faced from the Predators.

Kyle Clifford tallied for the Kings at 2:16 of the second period as J.P. Dumont absorbed a thunderous hit and was struggling to get to the bench, effectively leaving the Predators a man down. Marco Sturm shot the puck off the wing, and Lindback made the initial save but gave up a big rebound that Clifford buried into an open net.

The Predators had a glorious scoring opportunity as Patric Hornqvist found Kevin Klein sneaking down the off wing and hit him with a perfect pass. Bernier managed to slide across the net and get a piece of the shot for a great save five minutes into the period.

The injury bug continued to bite the Predators as the lost Nick Spaling to an upper body injury in the early going of the second period.

Jarrett Stoll scored on the power play at 7:57 of the second with Francis Buillon in the box for interference. Stoll launched a bomb from the blue line that beat Lindback high over his glove side. Lindback had lost his goal stick, but it was not a factor in the play as the shot beat Lindback cleanly.

The Predators answered on a power play of their own at 9:57. Ryan Suter wound up for what appeared to be a slap shot, but instead delivered a nice slap pass to Colin Wilson who was alone at the side of the net. Wilson re-directed the pass past Bernier for his 10th goal of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1.

This goal was critical for the Predators to stave off the momentum of the Kings and keep themselves in the contest.

Marek Svatos would tally his first goal as a Predator at 10:19 as Colin Wilson took a shot coming down the wing that Bernier kicked out off his pads. The rebound came to Svatos, who was driving the net and was able to put the rebound past an out of position Bernier.

The Predators had taken a punch from the Kings. In their previous contests, they did not answer. Tonight, they answered.

The Predators went back to the power play with Matt Greene in the box for interference and made the Kings pay for their transgression. Colin Wilson walked in off the half boards and cranked a shot low along the ice. Patric Hornqvist was camped- where else- at the top of the crease and re-directed the shot past Bernier for his 12th goal of the season at 14:28.

After back and forth play, including a fight between Francis Buillon and Wayne Simmonds that left Buillon with a broken nose, the period ended with the Predators on top 3-2.

The third period opened with more of the back and forth play between the teams, with each team looking for the other to break. The Kings were the first to crack under the pressure as Sergei Kostitsyn whistled a wrist shot toward Bernier. Bernier got a piece of the shot but not enough to stop it, and the puck slid in the net just inside the far post to extend the Predators lead to 4-2 at 9:10 of the third period. This was Kostitsyn's 10th goal of the season.

That off season signing of Kostitsyn by GM David Poile looks mighty good right now.

Patric Hornqvist tallied his second goal at 15:33 of the third period as he buried a rebound given up by Bernier off a shot by Sergei Kostitsyn. After being down 2-0, the Predators had scored five unanswered goals.

That 5-2 margin would be the final score of the game as the Predators played a complete game, being physical, aggressively forechecking to create offensive opportunities, and playing solid defense. These are the hockey characteristics that were vital to the Predators win.

The aspect of this game that doesn't show in the score sheet is the heart that the Predators displayed in winning this game. Down 2-0 to a team that had dominated them this season, it would have been easy to fold under the pressure. Instead, this team manned up and came back in the face of definite adversity.

Heart will be critical to continuing the winning streak and piling up points.

This team is built around heart and character. Continue to play like this, and this team will continue to win and lash future opponents.

My three stars:

1. Colin Wilson

2. Patric Hornqvist

3. Sergei Kostitsyn

Kings Crush the Predators 6-1

All good things come to an end. The Nashville Predators five game winning streak came to an end with a resounding thud against the Los Angeles Kings 6-1 at the Bridgestone Arena.

In a word, the Predators effort tonight was impotent. There was absolutely no fight from the Predators as they rolled over against the Kings.

And this was horribly disappointing.

Every team endures a loss, even a thumping. Tonight, the Predators were dominated by the Kings and showed no fire, no push back against the onslaught that the Kings unleashed. Frankly, the Kings had their way with the Predators and there was no response.

It is probably easier to say who didn't score for the Kings rather than who did, because it seemed that everyone on the roster as well as the equipment managers were finding the back of the net. The Kings scored just 15 seconds into the contest as Justin Williams tapped in his own rebound past Anders Lindback.

This was just the beginning.

Ryan Smyth tallied twice. Alex Ponikorovsky, Drew Doughty, and Trevor Lewis also found the net against a Predators defense that left the front of the net open and Nashville's netminders under assault during the contest. For the night, the Predators failed to clear the front of the net and gave the Kings numerous quality scoring opportunities on which they capitalized.

Lindback was chased in the first period in favor of Mark Dekanich, who fared no better, allowing three goals during the remainder of the contest.

Steve Sullivan had the only tally for the Predators.

This effort was pathetic. The Predators have been owned in their two contests with the Kings. The lack of fire, of fight , was particularly galling. As the Kings had their way with the Predators, the appalling aspect was that there was no one who stepped up to show any fight.

The Predators rarely challenged L.A. netminder Jonathan Bernier, making him look like the second coming of Patrick Roy.

You can call it one of those nights. Those happen, but dammit, at least show some fight.

You were owned, boys. And you did nothing about it.

And that is unacceptable.

My three stars:

1. Ryan Smyth

2. Justin Williams

3. Jonathan Bernier